Auction yards band together to protect the U.S. cattle industry

R-CALF USA

March 21, 2008

Billings, Mont. Ð Minnesota, Wisconsin and South Dakota auction yards, along with cattle producers and main-street businesses helped raise funds for R-CALF USA at recent rollover calf sale auctions. R-CALF USA is a national membership organization, which represents independent cattle producers on issues that directly impact the U.S. cattle industry. The funds will go toward R-CALF USA's litigation against the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA's) OTM (over-30-month) Rule to prevent the introduction of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) from Canada into the U.S. cattle herd. On behalf of U.S. cattle producers, R-CALF USA also is working to get Congress to include in the 2007 Farm Bill a prohibition on packer ownership of livestock for more than 14 days, mandatory country-of-origin labeling (COOL) enforcement by Sept. 30, 2008, and other issues important to U.S. cattle producers. Fort Pierre Livestock Auction, in Fort Pierre, S.D., has raised more than $71,000 in the past couple of months for R-CALF USA through individual contributions from producers. “The people in South Dakota are loyal and they contribute because R-CALF is the only one working for us, and they know that,” said R-CALF USA Region III Director Johnny Smith, who also is a partner in Fort Pierre Livestock Auction. “We don't want to become like the chicken or pork industries where the big corporations continually abuse the producers. We don't believe that the corporate takeover is good for agriculture or the cattle business.” Herreid Livestock Auction, located in Herreid, S.D. hosted a calf sale that generated more than $12,500 for the organization. J.R. Scott, who manages the sale barn, said that a lot of people in that community “believe pretty hard” in R-CALF USA. Philip Livestock Auction, located in Philip, S.D. raised more than $11,400 from three calf sales. Joel Deering donated a heifer that was auctioned off at Philip Livestock Auction's most recent calf sale. St. Onge Livestock Co., located in St. Onge, S.D., has hosted two calf sales that raised over $7,300 for R-CALF USA. Justin and Sandy Hildreth donated a bull calf that was auctioned off at the most recent event. “I support R-CALF USA because they're trying to keep the disease out of the country, the diseased cattle that could come in from Canada,” said Justin Hildreth. “We got the best livestock in the world but we are not on a level playing field with the rest of the world.” Bloomington Livestock Exchange, located in Bloomington, Wis., hosted a calf sale that brought in over $6,000 for the organization. “When R-CALF USA members go to Washington, D.C., for what we producers want, R-CALF goes for what is rightfully ours,” said Kevin Kirschbaum, co-owner of Bloomington Livestock Exchange. “When the meatpacking industry goes to Washington, they want all of it - our pie and their pie. U.S. cattle producers everywhere need to get on board with R-CALF. Yesterday was the time. R-CALF is our voice, R-CALF is us.” Bagley Livestock Exchange, located in Bagley, Minn. raised more than $5,100 during a recent calf sale, at which Wayne Wilde, of Shevlin, Minn. donated an Angus heifer that was auctioned off. “R-CALF is strictly for the cow/calf producers and the ranchers, which my customers are, as opposed to the cattle industry as a whole,” said Billy Bushelle, co-owner of Bagley Livestock Exchange. “I don't feel that it's possible to represent a cow/calf producer, a feedlot owner, and a packer. We all have different opinions on issues.” More than $5,000 was raised during a calf sale at Tri-County Livestock Auction, located in Motley, Minn. Wayne Hoffman, manager, said he supports mandatory COOL. “Without mandatory COOL, there's no point in raising and feeding cattle the way U.S. producers do it,” Hoffman said. “We might as well downgrade our system because we are not being paid for it. Fruit and everything else is labeled as to where it comes from, so why can't meat be? If consumers want to buy cheaper imported meat, they will buy it knowingly.” “R-CALF is the only one working for us,” said Danny Wiese, owner of Flying W Ranch, which is located in Pequot Lakes, Minn. Wiese donated an Angus heifer to be auctioned off during Tri-County Livestock Auction's calf sale and said cattle producers need to join R-CALF USA to have a unified voice. “R-CALF has done more for our beef industry than the $1 Beef Checkoff,” said Joe Varner, owner of several auction yards in the Midwest, including Tri-County Livestock Auction, Bagley Livestock Exchange and Herreid Livestock Auction.